A TEENAGER led police on a high-speed chase which ended with him crashing into another vehicle.

Blackburn magistrates heard Dillon Murphy drove at over 65mph as he tried to evade capture during a chase which started in Preston New Road went through Mill Hill and Ewood, out onto Broken Stones Road and back to Livesey Branch Road where he eventually crashed.

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Murphy, 18, of Honeyhole, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, because he was 17 when the offence was committed, he was made subject to a referral order for 12 months and banned from driving for 15 months.

He was also ordered to pay £300 compensation.

Eddie Harrison, prosecuting, said Murphy initially pulled over when signalled to do so by a police officer but then sped off up Preston New Road. He was doing 60mph as he travelled down Billinge Avenue onto Buncer Lane where he went to the wrong side of a traffic island, and was still doing 50mph on Spring Lane.

The court heard he overtook on the wrong side of the road on a bind bend near Stancliffe Street before proceeding along Hollin Bridge Street and Aqueduct Road. On Albion Road he smashed through traffic cones and temporary traffic lights.

The prosecution said Murphy then drove the wrong way round the Ewood triangle before heading up Livesey Branch Road, Hardman Way and then Broken Stones Road with police in hot pursuit.

As he headed back onto Livesey Branch Road, Murphy went the right way around a roundabout and a police officer took the opportunity to go the wrong way and get in front of his vehicle.

Murphy tried to overtake the police car but lost control and span, colliding with another driver who had stopped. There were two passengers in the car driven by Murphy, the court heard.

Jonathan Taylor, defending, said his client accepted he had been ‘extremely stupid’. “He has lost his good character as a result of this behaviour,” said Mr Taylor.

Passing sentence magistrates said Murphy had only had eight driving lessons. “The risk you posed was serious injury or death to other road users, the police, your passengers and yourself,” the chairman said.